Generally speaking, wool is harvested by shearing sheep. It grows from follicles in their skin, much like human hair. It’s made up of the same protein that makes human hair, keratin. Sheep shearing is done once or twice a year. Fortunately, shearing can be done without harming the animals and in many cases shearing is necessary as many domestic sheep cannot shed their wool coats naturally. Without shearing, continued growth can become so burdensome that the sheep are unable to move around normally, encumbering their ability to walk around or eat. Most vegans are against wool use as using animal products is, by definition, non-vegan. However, to not shear domestic sheep leads to overheating and higher risk of fly-strike in addition to the lack of mobility, making the refusal to shear sheep a method of cruelty as it can lead to a long-suffering death. As with all treatment of animals, shearing should be done with care and gentleness to avoid nicking or cutting the skin of the animals.
Wool can also be harvested from goats, alpacas, llamas, yacks, camels and even rabbits. Specialty wools, like cashmere and angora (from the Angora rabbit) are more expensive as they require combing and plucking rather than shearing. These raw fibers are sorted and classified depending on individual fibers’ diameter, length, strength, and color. Leaves, twigs, and other non-wool materials must be cleaned out before it can be used. After cleaning, the wool is scoured to extract the lanolin (a greasy material taken from the raw wool that is used in hand cremes and soaps). After this is complete, the fibers are dried and made into long strands to by spun into yarn. The finished yarn can be sold to crafters or used commercially in textiles and garments.
Check out the video by the Dodo below to see the rescue by Edgar’s mission of a sheep found after five years in the woods, with no one to shear his wool.
Wool is pretty amazing, it is biodegradable but can also be reused and upcycled. Check out these handmade children’s toys made from upcycled wool below. Every purchase helps women in locations with high poverty rates keep their children. Click the photo below to learn more or make a life-changing purpose.
